Chapter 3 #2
Ava pressed her lips to Casimir’s, tucking a strand of hair behind his pointed ear. “I promise I’ll be back. I love you.”
“No…” he whispered again, his energy waning.
“Keep him safe,” Ava urged.
“With my life.” With those last words, Pax led Casimir deeper into the woods.
“I’m coming with you, Miss Ava.”
She knelt and placed her hands on Remy’s shoulders. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s dangerous. You know how ruthless they are. You should go with Pax.”
Resolve passed over the hobgoblin’s face, like nothing Ava had ever seen before. “I want to help. I’m small. I can sneak around.”
“Remy…They’ll kill you.”
He lifted his chin and cupped Ava’s face. “I want to help. I want to be a part of taking down the daemons, Miss Ava.” His voice lowered into a whisper. “I had lost all hope until you arrived. Yes, I did. But you saved my life. Let this be my repayment…let me do this for my parents…”
Ava pressed her lips together. “Alright. But do exactly as I say.”
Reaching for her magic, she sensed it still writhing. Though she was beginning to tire, she should have enough power to protect Remy and herself.
“Let’s go. Quietly.”
Ava stood, leading Remy back toward the camp, pausing at the edge of the woods.
“Luna, do you know where the book is?”
Andras has it in his tent. Are you going to get it?
“Yes.”
Be careful. I will remain close in case you need help.
Andras. Even the thought of his name sent shivers through her body.
Was she strong enough to fight him? Or perhaps hold him off long enough for Remy to snatch the book?
At the battle of Oakshire she wasn’t. But now—now that her well of magic had grown exponentially—she might be able to hold her own.
At least for a few minutes. Long enough for them to get in and get out.
“We must find Andras,” she said to Remy. “I’m going to distract him while you get the book.”
“Yes yes yes. I can do that.”
They wound through the tents, unseen as they snuck around the soldiers cleaning up the mess created by the rest of Ava’s group. Daemon bodies lay bloodied and strewn about. Tents were crushed, some of them ablaze where Maeryn must have used her magic. A melted cage sat a few yards away.
“Is Aro okay?” she asked Luna.
Yes. He’s with us.
Ava’s shoulders relaxed at Luna’s answer. Aro was safe. Taking a few more steps into the camp, she paused when Andras’ voice spoke from inside a nearby tent. “He’s in there,” Ava whispered, pointing. “Are you ready?”
“Yes yes yes.”
“Remy.” She looked at her small friend. The friend she had met in this very camp. Who she had escaped with; ran through the woods with; stayed the night in a cave with. And now they were back here, together. “Please be careful.”
About a dozen guards milled about in front of the canvas quarters. Though she hadn’t had much time to train with her magic, it seemed to do whatever she commanded. And while she didn’t know how, she decided to create a golem.
Please let this work, she pleaded as she extended her hand and focused on the mud near the soldiers.
Nothing happened. She closed her eyes and visualized the ball of light Raine had coached her through. Imagined it was deep within her and extended through her arm and fingers. She opened her eyes and stared at the mud. Willing it to form. Urging it to listen.
Your magic only listens to you. It is an extension of you, Raine had said in one of her training sessions. Will it to do what you command.
A large creature rose from the muck, catching the soldiers’ attention. It molded itself into a being over ten feet tall and began to punch and kick at the daemons. Ava grew roots around the legs of several others, pulling them down for the golem to crush.
“I was wondering when you’d show, Ava dear,” Andras crooned from behind her.
She straightened, spinning around, now face to face with her enemy. A subtle glance to where Remy had been showed her he’d already disappeared on his mission.
“Miss me?” she asked, feigning confidence, though she was still terrified of the daemon who had tricked her.
He regarded her with his icy blue eyes and long dark hair, dressed in his usual all black, hands in his pockets. Tilting his head, he gave her a ravishing smile. “Miss you? Of course I did. But I had your lover to keep me company while I waited.”
At the mention of Casimir, the earth trembled near her feet. “I will kill you for what you did to him. Just like I killed Vazgeth.”
A flash of surprise passed over his face before he regained his composure.
Ava let her rage smother her fear. “You didn’t know. The sound of his spine breaking as I ripped him to pieces was music to my ears after what he did to me. After what he did to Casimir.”
Andras sauntered toward her, his lips pulling into a sultry grin, his cold eyes sizing her up. “Impressive. My, how your magic has grown.” He gestured to the golem occupying the soldiers. “Is that mud creature yours? It seems all it took was hurting your soulbond to induce your great tribulation.”
Keep him talking, she thought to herself. Hurry, Remy.
“Well, I guess I should thank you then. For increasing my power.” She took a slow step backward.
Ava. Casimir’s getting worse. He has a fever and is unconscious, said Luna.
“Tell everyone to head back to Mosshaven. Remy and I will catch up. Send Skye to meet us at the edge of the woods.”
She backed away another step, heart racing.
Raine’s angry with you. He’s coming to help.
“No! Tell him to get everyone out. Head home. We’ll meet you.”
He refuses to listen.
“Tell him that’s an order. From the princess.”
Andras continued to approach, the smile never leaving his face. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you showed up to rescue the general.”
Ava shrugged, preparing to use her magic to trap him. She lunged, vines bursting from the ground, but he was quicker and had her wrapped in his shadows in seconds. His magic pulled her to the ground on her hands and knees. She couldn’t move, couldn’t use her own magic to get away.
With a feral snarl, she pushed with all her strength, but the darkness held fast, writhing around her as a living breathing entity.
“I knew you’d come for the book.” He knelt before her, a dagger appearing in his hand. His shadows pulled one of her arms forward, raising her upturned hand toward him. He gripped her wrist, then sliced her palm.
“No!” she screamed.
With an agonizing twist of her arm, he slammed her palm to the ground.
Right on top of symbols that had been traced in the dirt.
No no no.
“Luna! He’s opening a portal!”
Get out of there.
“He’s too strong!”
Even with her increased strength, he was much too powerful. She couldn’t get away. Would never escape.
Ava squirmed, attempting to free herself from the shadows, panting as she attempted to pull her hand away from the ground.
But it was too late. A prickling sensation overwhelmed her as her blood activated the symbols beneath her hand.
Vision fuzzy, she watched in horror as a swirling black vortex formed.
Wind billowed, whipping her braid. The portal expanded, growing larger until it was tall enough for daemons to walk through.
“Thank you, dear,” Andras said, standing beside her.
Ava screamed, trying again to pull away, her body trembling with the effort, but the shadows kept her restrained. This couldn’t be happening. What had she done?
A flash of white fur appeared out of the corner of her eye. Luna leaped at Andras, her sharp teeth piercing his thigh. Andras shouted, distracted enough that his shadows fell. Luna darted out of his way, avoiding his attack.
Time to go, Luna said as Remy exited the tent, book in hand.
“What do we do about the portal?”
You don’t know how to close it. We must leave. Now.
Ava jumped to her feet and raised her hands, allowing her magic to take over. With a surge of power, a giant purple flower burst from the earth and swallowed Andras. He bellowed in fury, muffled beneath the petals.
“Run!” Ava ordered Remy. “This won’t hold him for long.”
With one last glance at the portal, just as an armored boot stepped through, they took off to the tree line, Luna bounding alongside them.
“Faster, Remy.” They leaped over a ruined tent and increased their pace. Ava’s lungs burned; her heart raced; her thighs ached as she pushed herself as hard as she could, pulling Remy alongside her.
A spear of black shadow shot toward a tree. Splinters of wood exploded as the tree fell with a crack, landing in their path. Without breaking her stride, Ava lifted Remy over it and continued to run.
“Luna! Where’s Skye?”
Follow me.
Ava risked a look behind her. Andras was catching up, ensconced in shadows with fury in his eyes as he continued his pursuit. He raised a hand and dark wisps zoomed toward them, headed straight for Remy. Ava grabbed the hobgoblin just in time, lifting him and whirling them behind a tree.
She set him down, unsheathing a dagger, and peeking around the tree to fling it at Andras. He shouted as it pierced his shoulder but it didn’t stop him, only made him angrier.
She willed thorny vines to wrap around his legs, but his shadows dissolved them in seconds. Trying to create another flower to trap him, her hand trembled, her magic sputtering. She was too weak. The portal had drained her significantly.
She wasn’t strong enough to fight him alone. They had to run.
“Come on,” she said, dashing through the woods again.
Remy followed, surprisingly keeping pace, and they emerged into a clearing. Skye’s eagle cry pierced the night as she lowered herself. Ava picked up Remy—still clutching the book—and set him on Skye’s back in between her golden wings, then clamored up behind him.
“Hand me the book and hold on tight,” she said. Holding the book against her, she crossed her other arm in front of her small friend and gripped Skye’s feathers.
I’ll meet you there, Luna said, bounding into the woods.
Skye took off the moment Andras emerged into the clearing. Ava met his eyes as they rose higher. Raising a hand, he shot one more burst of shadows straight for them.
“Go!” she shouted at Skye.
But the eagle wasn’t quick enough.
As if in slow motion, the tendril of darkness zoomed through the night. Ava hollered and raised her arm as if she could shield them, trying to stop it. To do something, anything. But the wisp of ebony smoke sped forward…
And hit Remy directly in the chest.